Meet Cute

The rule is old and comes from film comedy: the first contact must not go smoothly. Something has to go wrong because no one remembers a flawless introduction. The argument over the last seat carries further than a handshake.

Done well, the scene accomplishes two things at once: it shows how both react under pressure, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. Whoever is sarcastic here stays that way — until the story teaches them otherwise.

At Everglow, this is Chapter 1. It's the only one that happens without your input — after that, you decide how it continues.